


Two Guys Being Dudes

by Rubicksmaster



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: M/M, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-06
Updated: 2021-01-06
Packaged: 2021-03-16 17:13:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,758
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28585530
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rubicksmaster/pseuds/Rubicksmaster
Summary: Zuko gets to reunite with his friends over a diplomatic meeting and absolutely nothing of interest happens. Until Mai starts suspecting some things.
Relationships: Sokka/Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 3
Kudos: 12





	1. Chapter 1

Zuko pinched the bridge of his nose. The sun was setting and he was tired. There was a balance to negotiating the return of colonies, implementing programs to educate beyond a century long course of propaganda, dispelling any uprisings in favor of Ozai’s imperialist rule, and keeping some standard level of production without continuing to exploit colonies that he doubted he would ever reach.

One colony in particular was a pain in his ass; one of the first colonies the Fire Nation had gained control of had enjoyed a somewhat independent rule which, when combined with the large number of Fire Nation people living there with mixed families, made them hesitant to return to Earth Kingdom rule while still wanting to be separate from the Fire Nation. It was a constant headache, bringing him away from the palace to meet with the local leader, the Earth King, and Aang, who was still helping Zuko fix the damage of his forefathers.

The door opened and Zuko jolted, nearly half asleep already. Mai had slipped in silently, her face unreadable. He felt guilty. They knew he’d be busy; busier than he had been on the run, when every second was spent trying to figure out how he was going to eat, as paradoxical as it seemed. They ate meals together, had been sharing a room for the past year now, but he hadn’t spoken to her since he had taken the mantle of Fire Lord, it seemed.

“We should get going.”

“We?” he asked. He was leaving late that night to reach the aforementioned colony in time, taking a repurposed air ship to arrive in time. 

Mai’s lips quirked, the equivalent of a full force smile. “Ty Lee is going to be nearby with the Kyoshi Warriors.”

“I wish I could join you two,” he replied. He felt bad for Mai. She shouldn’t have to be stuck here with him, perpetually exhausted, and Azula, who had spent the past five years stubbornly in jail. “Did you mention it to Azula.”

“I offered if she wanted to come.” They stared at each other, like she was challenging a rise out of him, but he was too tired. “She said no,” she finished, holding his gaze but visibly saddened. “She can’t stay in there.”

“I know,” he said, and he shut his eyes and put his head on his desk, the ink on his papers thankfully dry by now. “I try. I ask her--”

“You send someone to ask her,” Mai corrected. 

“She’s asked, is the point.”

“When’s the last time you saw her?” Mai asked. 

Zuko didn’t look up at her. He had tried in the first year. Weekly visits, an hour and a half every Saturday, and he would try to bring her her meals most days. For the most part, she never spoke to him. He tried lively conversation, allowed Mai, Ty Lee, and Uncle to see her whenever they pleased, but nothing had worked. 

Until it did. Months of wheedling had finally worn her down and she snapped at him, spat out fire and mocked him for weakness, told him exactly how she would escape and kill him and take over her throne. In that instant, he heard his father, and the idea he had of him being the sole thing between them vanished.

He started coming less until now, where he might come by once or twice a month, if only to make sure she was eating enough. She never had tried to escape, even though she could. He kept her in a room with two guards outside. She had windows, a bed, a closet of clothes. He wondered if she had simply run out of plays and decided a prisoner to her brother was the best she could do.

He didn’t react when Mai began rubbing his back. “I know it’s hard. I know it hurts. She doesn’t know how to ask you for help.”

He didn’t know how to give it to her.

_____________

“Zuko!” Aang exclaimed when Zuko arrived at the meeting. Zuko blinked, taken aback, before he broke out in a grin. He had been too tired to connect the dots; if Ty Lee was visiting, then of course Suki had business here. Which would bring Sokka, then Katara, and by then why wouldn’t Toph join them?

“It’s been months,” Zuko blurted, grateful Mai had already met up with Ty Lee to catch up. They hadn’t been able to go on as many adventures as the years had passed. He had to be more committed to the Fire Nation, and each of them had their own lives to begin leading. “I wish I had known, I--”

A pebble flicked him against the shoulder, fast enough to sting despite the size. “Don’t be gross,” Toph said, but she was smiling, too. She had shot up over the years, it was hard to remember her as the twelve year old he had first met. 

Sokka pulled him into a hug. “I missed you!” It still surprised Zuko that Sokka’s voice had deepened. Zuko patted his back, grateful to see his best friend again.

“I thought it would be a good idea to get everyone together,” Aang explained, standing up from where he had been leaning against a desk (for as weird as Sokka’s voice change had been, Aang’s growth into a young man was weirder).

The Earth king and the current leader of the former colony, Tai Sun, were also in the room, the latter of the two starstruck by the full team Avatar before him. “I know the we’ve been discussing joint iron businesses between the Earth Kingdom and the Fire Nation, but Sokka mentioned that we should establish a positive relationship with both Water Tribes. I mean, it’s a safe haven for all people, right?” Aang explained.

“Good idea,” Zuko said, looking over to Sokka. He still kept his hair pulled back, and had taken to shaving the sides again shortly after Ozai’s defeat. But he was taller now, taller than Zuko, though he was so casual in posture that they were eye-to-eye. He had filled out considerably as he grew; there was no doubt of his strength given his year on the run, but now he looked the part. He would look like a man, if not for the stubble on his jaw. Sokka smiled in response, bright white teeth against light brown skin. 

The former colony, Cranefish Town (“Cranefish Town?” Sokka had asked, incredulous. “You brought me to a place name Cranefish Town? That’s the worst name I’ve ever heard!”) had tripled in size after Ozai’s defeat. It was baffling, and the town was bleeding into nearby colonies who were consolidating power as one local government. The distrust of the Fire Nation was palpable in the streets; it didn’t matter how many Fire Nation people lived there, the other peoples weren’t ready to forget the war.

The biggest issue was the iron refinery, which had been a joint business venture between the Earth Kingdom and Fire Nation shortly after the war ended. Neither were keen to let it go, and current negotiations were focused on allowing them to run the business in a self-governing town (maybe city was more apt a name, at this point). Meanwhile, the blend of different cultures meant plenty of people weren’t ready to fully give up their attachments to their home nations. Plenty of people wanted oversight from the Earth King, or the Northern Water Tribe, or even Aang, the only Ambassador of the Air Nomads. This came with the request of an independent local government. The working plan was a council of representatives that would have contact with other nations and tribes while working solely for the benefit of the city.

It was tedious work, and Zuko wasn’t surprised when he was asked to stay the week. “I understand the responsibility of your position,” Tai Sun said, “but we would all be more comfortable if we immediately ironed out these details. My citizens are getting antsy.”

Zuko thought of the hundreds of other responsibilities he had. How he had missed his home. How important it was for him to rebuild connections with his people, not as a Lord but as a man. And of Azula, alone in her room.

“C’mon. We deserve a reunion,” Sokka said, cuffing him on the arm.

“Okay,” Zuko answered, surprising himself with how easily his friend had swayed him. 

___________

“I thought we’d be staying longer,” Mai told him, smug, as she snaked her arm around his waist. Her and Ty Lee had enjoyed a day on the town, more than happy to avoid the politics that consumed Zuko’s life.

“Aw,” Ty Lee huffed, but it had no bite behind it. “I miss home sometimes, I was hoping I could visit.”

“You’re always welcome,” Zuko said. He missed her dearly, and the knowledge that Azula did, too, probably more than he thought possible, made him mean it more. 

“I couldn’t leave the Kyoshi Warriors hanging,” Ty Lee replied. They were at a restaurant, not anything fancy, but the best dishes were brought to their table, and staff and patrons alike gawked at the packed table. 

Suki snorted. “She’s kidding. We aren’t nearly as strict now. The occasional group of bandits is easier to deal with than the constant threat of Fire Nation invasion.”

“Yeah, but I’m the best at braiding hair,” Ty Lee said, tossing her own braid over her shoulder.

Zuko leaned forward, glad to feel like he could slouch and relax for once. “What are the Kyoshi Warriors up to? I didn’t expect to see them involved here.”

“There’s been some mob activity around. Postwar bandits still holding on. Mostly, we’re here to help set up some police force so we don’t have to keep running back and forth. Toph’s been helping,” Suki grinned, and Katara snorted. 

“I’m sorry, the girl who I watched swindle people decided to enforce the law?” she asked. Her and Aang were practically in each other’s laps, which was mildly amusing now that Aang towered over her. 

Toph shrugged, her feet kicked up on the table (Sokka and Suki, both beside her, were giving her a wide berth to protect their food). “If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em.”

“She’s not giving herself credit,” Suki said. “She’s helped us screen applicants to nip any corruption at the bud, and she’s the best earthbending teacher we can find.”

“Best earthbending teacher, period,” Toph replied, but she was blushing. “And metalbending, but most of them suck at it.”

Aang looked shattered. “You haven’t taught me metalbending yet!” 

Toph waved her hand at him. “You wouldn't get it. Too much twinkle-toes to have the willpower to force metal to comply.” 

Katara patted Aang’s shoulder. “It’s okay, honey. She probably just doesn’t know how to teach it yet.” They laughed, and Toph flicked a pebble at Katara’s arm, who pulled back quick enough for it to instead hit Aang in the chest. He clutched where it hit and gasped out in surprise, and they laughed harder.

Tears were in Zuko’s eyes. “I haven’t had this much fun in months,” he said, coughing through laughs.

Mai pet his hair and he leaned into the comfort. “He overworks himself.”

“Hey, you can’t let yourself burn out,” Sokka said. “One person can’t restore an entire nation.”

“One person can destroy it,” Zuko replied, and Sokka’s eyes hardened at the bitter tone.

“Not really,” Aang replied. “From what Roku showed me of his past Avatar years, the council Sozin had appointed along with the Fire Nation identity of unquestionable pride meant nobody truly objected or could object to the start of the war. And then Kyoshi wound up destabilizing the Earth Kingdom when she killed Chin the Conqueror, and the Dai Li that she created further cut the Earth King off from creating a unified front.”

They blinked. “Um. Thanks for the history lesson?” Sokka said.

“I’ve been spending my free time meditating with my past lives,” Aang explained. “Specifically other Air Nomads. But the other Avatars like talking, too. Did you know the Swamp people used to be nudists?” He shivered, and the trauma in his eyes was palpable. “I know. I know that, and I’ll never forget.”

“I can’t imagine seeing that,” Toph said. 

There was a thud under the table, then a chirp, and Momo shot out from beneath Zuko’s feet with a bug in his paw. He flew around them before settling on Aang’s shoulder. “What do you think, Momo? Bedtime?” Aang asked, stretching out his arms and yawning.

“What?” Sokka asked. “The sun just went down!”

“Avatar duties. Very busy. I’ll see you guys in the morning?” 

“I’ll come with you,” Katara said, and she waved as they left, leaning against each other. Sokka stuck out his tongue.

“They’re gross,” he said. “They’re always like this whenever Aang comes by the South. That’s why I’ve been at the Northern Water Tribe so much.”

“That reminds me!” Ty Lee exclaimed. “Mai, the rest of the Kyoshi Warriors have missed you! You have to come back with us to see them!”

“I don’t think I have the energy for a late night,” Mai replied. “Unless we leave now?” She gave Zuko a look, another challenge.

He wasn’t sure if he rose to the bait. She had missed them, and he never wanted to step between her friendships. Even if they had been strained from each other, they had a week here with less work to come between them. He smiled. “Go ahead. I’ll meet you back at the room.”

Mai kissed his forehead and took Ty Lee’s hand, allowing herself to be led out of the restaurant.  
Suki stood up. “Wanna come with us, Toph?”

“Eh, why not. Later, losers.”

“See you in the morning,” Zuko replied. He shifted his focus back to Sokka. “I didn’t realize you were at the Northern Water Tribe.”

Sokka rubbed the back of his neck. “It’s no big deal, really. I had spent a lot of time with Katara and Dad rebuilding the South. But we needed a stronger connection with our sister tribe, and I was already trusted by the chief.”

He nodded. “It must be hard with you and Suki, then.”

“It was.” Sokka grimaced. “We, uh, we broke up.”

“Oh.” Sokka’s cheeks were pink. “I couldn’t tell.”

“Gee, thanks.”

“Oh! That’s not what I meant, just, you seemed very friendly.”

“She is my friend. I respect her a lot, and it’s been long enough where it’s not just awkward,” Sokka said. He shrugged. “I don’t know. She was the first person my age I had met besides Katara and Aang in years. I guess I rushed into it. We’re better as friends.”

“I understand. I feel like Mai is the only girl I could date.”

“That must be love, right?”

Zuko mulled this over. The only kids his age he knew were Azula, Ty Lee, and Mai. Ty Lee was so innocent and sweet it felt like a second younger sister, one who was actually nice to him. Maybe Mai was also the only girl he had ever been around. But no, there had been the girl in Ba Sing Se, but maybe the nervous attraction he had felt was the result of isolation and fear, and a desperate need to Be Normal. “Maybe.”

Sokka quirked his eyebrow and scooted his chair so he was directly next to Zuko. He ground his elbow into Zuko’s side. “Don’t let Mai hear that. She can sic the Kyoshi Warriors on you here.”

Zuko laughed and pushed him away. “As if Mai isn’t dangerous enough on her own.” 

Zuko’s fingers curled into Sokka’s to hold his hands away as Sokka tried to force him into a submissive state. “That’s right! Nonbenders for the win!” Sokka broke through and punched Zuko in the gut.

“Oh!” Zuko gasped, doubling up into his seat, his knees banging loudly under the table and causing the cutlery and plates to clang together. They went silent, Sokka’s fist against Zuko’s stomach and Zuko’s arms around Sokka. The entire seemed to be staring at their commotion as though everyone was realizing for the first time that the Fire Lord and a high ranking Water Tribe Ambassador were both only young men.

Then they burst out laughing, not loud but stifled, hidden and secret between them.

“Maybe we should be a nuisance elsewhere,” Zuko said.

___________

They were in Sokka’s room, which was only a short walk away from the restaurant. “How is it in the Northern Water Tribe? I spent most of my time there frozen in a mound of snow.”

“Come visit,” Sokka said, laying sideways across the bed so Zuko could sit beside him. “I’ll give you a tour. You can formally apologize to the chief.”

“I’m not even sure what I did to the chief.”

“Eh, water under the bridge. It’s so different from the South. You saw the architecture there, like they carved it out of the ice.”

“It was beautiful,” Zuko said. The sunlight had refracted through columns of ice and shone dancing colors on the snow, he remembered. Later, Uncle had impressed upon him the unity of elements, and though he was loath to admit it at the time, he understood and remembered how water could create the same colors he would later see the Masters breathe.

“It’s ice, you see it once, you’ve seen it all.” Zuko shrugged. “I don’t know if some of the differences are real or if it’s just me being raised in a war-torn tribe. It’s so sexist it’s unreal; that’s why Katara stayed in the south. There’s little changes. Women are allowed to learn waterbending, not just healing. But women can’t walk around alone, still.”

“Gross,” Zuko agreed. “How can you change that?”

“Katara did most the work when she whooped Master Pakku in their first duel. Well, she lost, but it was impressive.”

The long day started to catch up to Zuko, overriding the adrenaline high of seeing his friends again. He leaned back so he was laying beside his friend, surprised when he felt the urge to reach out and grab him. “For all the flaws of my family’s reign, at least they supported gender equality. Even if it was just so they could enlist soldiers.”

Sokka studied Zuko’s face. He felt his eyes on him, scanning his face, over his eye (his good eye, his scar was facing away), down his nose to his mouth, which was turned down in a small, almost unnoticeable frown. “Do you have any friends at the palace?”

“Of course I have friends.” He was, at least, on much better terms with the staff and servants. He had banished his father’s advisors and handpicked new men and women with the help of Uncle who had no prior entanglement with politics, but they were hardly friends. Ty Lee rarely visited. He really only had Mai and Uncle as friends, and Uncle was often away building up the White Lotus.

“That’s what I never liked in the Fire Nation,” Sokka said. “You have friends, but it’s always distanced. In my tribe--in both water tribes, actually--bonds of all kinds are as strong as family. You never feel alone.”

Zuko turned his head to give Sokka a teasing look, and he was momentarily surprised by how close they were. “You’re just trying to get me to visit.”

“Of course I am! I miss our Team Avatar days, and out of everyone, I see you the least.”

Zuko was smiling before he was cognizant of it, a wide grin which Sokka returned, unabashed and handsome. They held each other’s gaze for a few seconds until it dawned on Zuko that he never looked at anyone like this, not even Mai. He coughed. “I would love to. But I have a lot of work to do, and I’m already taking a week here. And I worry about leaving Azula alone that long in the Fire Nation.”

“What, worried she’ll overthrow you?”

Zuko let himself laugh. “Not so much anymore. I’m just worried about her.” Sokka propped himself up on his shoulder, turning to face Zuko, opening himself before him, his clear blue eyes open as he waited for him to continue. “It’s ridiculous, really.”

“Look, I’m your only other friend with a sister.”

“Ty Lee has six sisters.”

“You’re being intentionally difficult,” Sokka replied, placing his hand on Zuko’s before swatting it, a gentle scolding. “I’m your only guy friend with one single sister who is a little bit insane and definitely capable of murder. Spill.” This time he squeezed Zuko’s hand.

“I think I’m still scared of her.” Zuko waited for Sokka to make a light-hearted joke, but it didn’t come. “I thought that once my father was gone, we wouldn’t have anything between us. That maybe she and I could really be siblings again, like when we were children and he hadn’t pitted us against each other. But it never happened. She resents me still. I think she blames me for what happened, like our father hadn’t sent me across the world.”

“Hold on,” Sokka said, stroking his thumb over Zuko’s hand. He hadn’t noticed how angry he was getting, or maybe frustrated was a better word. Sokka’s hand was cool against his own, and it centered him as Sokka continued. “I think you resent her, too. For good reason! She tried killing you, like, a bunch of times. But just because she was the favorite of an abusive parent doesn’t mean she wasn’t abused.”

“No, I know,” Zuko said, pulling his hand away. He had been over this with Uncle many times, had drilled this into his head. “But she won’t let me reach out to her! I’ve tried apologizing, being honest with my experience, talking about mother and father, but she never listens!”

“It’s hard, though, to accept that,” Sokka said. “How many years did it take you to realize your father didn’t love you.”

Zuko avoided his gaze and murmured, “Three.”

“And this was after he banished and scarred you. And you had Uncle Iroh to rely on the whole way. Azula was mistreated in a different way. He wasn’t openly cruel to her. He just forced her to be perfect and punished her when she wasn’t. She was alone with that. That’s what she thinks love is. She’s probably just scared you’ll do the same to her, even if she isn’t aware of it.”

“Then why does she talk to Mai and Ty Lee? And Uncle?”

Sokka shrugged. “I don’t know. My best guess? Mai and Ty Lee aren’t related to her, so she doesn’t think the pain is inherent. And how can you not talk to Uncle Iroh?”

Zuko chanced a glance back up at Sokka. He had his eyes closed and was talking through a tired veil. His mouth was relaxed and he breathed slowly through his nose, his chest rising and falling with each breath. With his eyes closed he looked younger, like he might’ve still been a teenager. The stubble on his chin was visible enough to be amusing, but Zuko thought, overall, it made him look cute. 

“I’m keeping you up,” Zuko said, starting to sit up.

Sokka grabbed his arm (but his eyes were still closed, so he shot out his hand and his Zuko’s side, then swatted around until he got a solid hold on his wrist). “Don’t. This is important, and I’m only tired from the trip here.”

Zuko let Sokka tug him back down, and they wound up a few inches closer than they were before. “What do I do?”

Sokka shrugged. “I don’t know. Have you tried apologizing? That always helps.”

Apologize for what? Getting beaten and banished at 13? Having to run on a wild goose chase around the world for three years to realize their dad was awful? But he didn’t want to say this, didn’t want to let out his bitter thoughts. “Thanks,” he said, grabbing Sokka’s hand that was still wrapped around Zuko’s wrist. 

“What are friends for?” Sokka replied. Zuko didn’t say anything after that and let Sokka fall asleep. Then he slowly got up and silently left the room, finding Mai back in their shared room, where they went to sleep on separate sides of the bed. And he wondered why he didn’t want to reach for her.


	2. Chapter 2

He woke up to Mai ordering breakfast in bed. She noticed his shifting and said, “Good morning. You slept like a rock.”

“I needed it,” he replied. He propped himself up. “What did you get?” She showed him their meal, enough twisted fried dough sticks, steamed buns, and rice porridge for four of them. 

“I didn’t know when we would get lunch, and I know you’ve missed Earth Kingdom food.”

“Thank you.” He pulled his hair out of his eyes and grabbed a doughstick. “How is Ty Lee?”

Mai smiled. “Amazing. She’s come into her own. It makes up for how much I miss her.” She stirred her porridge idly. “Sorry for ditching you with Sokka last night.”

He thought he heard a twinge of a challenge in her voice but opted to ignore it. “Don’t be. I’m glad I could catch up with him, and I don’t want to get in the way of you and Ty Lee spending time together.”

Mai nodded and put her porridge down, not having taken a bite. “You know I love you.”

He froze mid bite. “Uh, yeah. And I love you, too.”

“I know you do.” She took his hand (the one not holding his breakfast) and said, “I just don’t think you love me in a romantic sense.”

They stared at each other. “I’m lost.”

“We don’t do anything physical. You barely like kissing me,” Mai said. “I thought it was because you were so busy, but we finally get a break and you just let me leave.”

“Wait, would you rather I get angry and controlling when you want to catch up with you friend?” he snapped.

“I’d rather you make an effort,” Mai explained, not rising to his anger. She held his gaze and it hurt him to realize she wasn’t mad. She had already accepted this. “I think you don’t know how you feel about me,” Mai explained. She sighed. “We’ve only ever dated each other. And I love you. But you only date me because I’ve all you’ve ever known. I don’t want you to force yourself to stay with me, and I don’t want to settle for that.”

Zuko felt his throat tighten. “Are you breaking up with me?”

Mai gave him a gentle smile and cupped his face in her hand. “I don’t think we’ve really been dating in a long time.”

___________

He had spent a good portion of the meeting thinking about Mai. He wasn’t as sad as he should be. He had no feeling of losing a relationship, trusting their bond enough to know they would be friends, and he had no intention of kicking her out of his palace, though he expected her to travel and do her own thing.

Aang kept the meeting running, citing his goal of settling an island not far from the mainland to reestablish his heritage and keep close tabs on an experimental city of all nations. The main issue was how they would represent the government council. Would Aang have a seat, or would that be too much power? Would both the water tribes be present, or would that be giving them too much power? How could the Earth Kingdom, still shattered from the Hundred Year War, be properly represented without facing the same issue? Zuko could take a backseat here, knowing his nation would only need one representative.

They left with, at the very least, a solid deal between him and the Earth King for the refinery. Aang headed the group, which had everyone except for Ty Lee and Mai. “I want to show you guys the island!”

Appa roared with delight when he saw the Gaang back together and, for some reason, chose to lick Zuko to express this. He shuddered and tried to wipe the thick saliva off of his--well, his everything. Sokka laughed and patted Zuko’s shoulder before pulling away. “Blegh, sticky.”

“Will Appa be able to carry everyone?” Suki asked. “We’re a lot bigger now.”

Aang patted Appa’s head before airbending himself on top of him. “It’s a quick trip. Besides, Appa’s strong.”

Regardless of Appa’s strength, it was a tight fit on the saddle. Everyone’s legs were longer now, and they were tangled together between them. Zuko was crammed tight against Sokka and the edge of the saddle, his body hot where they were pressed together.

“I haven’t missed this,” Toph lurched, and she latched tight onto Sokka’s free arm. 

“Toph, do the thing!” Suki exclaimed, and Toph grinned. 

“Oh yeah, I keep forgetting.” Toph pushed her hands forward and a metal wire shot out of her belt, embedding firmly in the saddle (too close to Zuko’s hip for comfort, and he shifted into Sokka).

“Woah!” Sokka said, eyes wide, and he leaned forward to examine the wire. “How did you make this? Did you bend it?”

“Nah. If I bend metal too much, it gets brittle. The wires kept snapping if I bent them. A welder in the city was able to make this for me.”

“How does it work?”

“Um, metal shoots out when I bend it, and comes back when I stop bending it.”

“It’s a spring, I think,” Suki explained to a grateful Sokka. “So it automatically retracts when force isn’t applied. She’s been trying to teach her students how to use it. She does actually know how it works.”

Toph was holding so tight to the wire her knuckles were turning white. “Yeah, whatever.”

“Sokka, maybe you should come to the Fire Nation,” Zuko said, very aware that Mai looked at how Zuko was nearly in Sokka’s lap and then looked at Zuko, her face blank. Sokka turned to face him, his warm breath easy against Zuko’s face from their proximity. Zuko flushed. Why was she staring at them? She was pressed just as tightly between Suki and Ty Lee.

“Ooo, I’ve missed Fire Nation cooking!” Sokka replied. “What, you don’t miss me enough to come visit? Just enough to bring me down?”

“Well, I was hoping you could take a look at the war balloons,” Zuko answered. “They’ve been gathering dust. I want them to be useful outside of war, and I want them to be more fuel efficient.”

“I’ll take you up on that,” Sokka replied, and Zuko grinned. Then he noticed Mai glaring at him. He looked away from her, feeling suddenly ashamed. He remained quiet for the rest of the flight.

__________

“I’ve been speaking to the city about getting a ferry system set up,” Aang explained. “I want to bring anyone interested in the Air Nomads to live here. And any homes and buildings will look like they’re from the Air Temples.”

Zuko turned to take in the island. There were some signs of civilization; closer to the water there were docks, and clear footpaths ran along the ground. Otherwise, it was uninhabited. “Katara, are you going to live here?”

Katara flushed. “I’m focused on the South Pole right now.”

“Besides, I won’t be here too often yet,” Aang interjected.

“Zuko, want to walk around?” Sokka asked. 

Zuko was about to nod, but Mai cut in. “I have to talk to him, actually.”

Sokka nodded and flashed Zuko a smile. “In a bit, then. Just find me.”

Before Zuko could ask, Mai had a vice-grip on his hand and was dragging him away. He caught Ty Lee’s eye as he was being dragged away, but, always more loyal to Mai, she gave a nervous smile and looked away. Mai brought him through the thick of trees until they couldn’t hear there friends. She pushed him away. “What the hell was that?”

“What?” Zuko asked, his voice rising.

“We break up for not even five minutes and you’re already cuddling up with Sokka? In front of me?!”

Zuko stared at her for a beat. “What? You broke up with me!”

“That’s not the point!” Mai shot back. “Were you just waiting to end things so you could start hooking up with Sokka?”

“What?” Zuko yelled. “Are you insane?”

They stared at each other, Zuko unwilling to try to explain away whatever she had concocted in her head. Finally, Mai eased back, a new realization seeming to dawn on her. “Wait. Zuko…”

“What?” he yelled again.

“You didn’t know?”

“Didn’t know what?”

“I think you’re gay.”

“What?”

“Gay. You like men.”

Zuko stepped back. “Don’t you dare say that!”

“Wait, Zuko, it’s okay.” Mai stepped forward, concern evident on her face. “It’s alright.”

“Shut up, Mai!” he yelled, although it came out like a scream, like she was attacking him.

She did, for a moment. Her eyes softened and he let her take his hand. She ran her thumb over the back of his hand. “I know what your dad was like. And I know what our home is like. But they’re wrong. It’s okay.”

“I’m going to vomit,” Zuko croaked, pulling away from her. 

She went to his side and swung his arm over her shoulders, pulling his waist up to lead him back to their friends. “Hey, can we head back?” she said, catching Aang’s attention. He, Katara, and Ty Lee were still there, but everyone else had gone to explore.

“What’s the matter?” Aang asked. Katara helped hold Zuko. 

“Bad breakfast,” he lied. His stomach churned with what Mai accused, and his head ached. His heart was pounding and he felt cold and hot all at once. 

“You’re pale,” Katara said. “Aang, fly us back to Zuko’s room. I’ll see if I can help him at all.”

“Mai, please,” he begged, his throat tight. She pulled Ty Lee onto Appa and held him as they flew, stroking the back of his neck, which was caked in sweat.

_________

Aang left them once they were safely dropped off. Zuko had lurched through his room to make it to the restroom, where he threw up. Mai helped him lay on the bed, where Katara began to heal him. The water against his stomach alternated between hot and cold, neither temperature too intense to be uncomfortable. Though his head still hurt and his throat burned from bile, the water soothed his nausea. 

Katara frowned. “This wasn’t food poisoning. I think you had a panic attack.”

“What?” Zuko asked, his eyes shut tight in pain. 

“It’s something a lot of the returning soldiers had. They would get so anxious it would physically show. They’d get headaches, get nauseous, sometimes they’d cry or get vacant. You feel the same. Tense. I can feel how fast your heart is beating, it’s like you were attacked.”

“It’s nothing,” he huffed, and he pushed himself to sit up. Katara shifted her focus to Zuko’s forehead, and he immediately felt the tension slip away.

“Zuko. I have saved your life, and you have saved mine. I don’t know how else I can tell you that you should trust me. So what happened?”

Zuko opened his eyes to glance at Mai, who was looking at Ty Lee, conflicted. He closed his eyes again and leaned forward so his forehead was against Katara’s cool hand. “I…I can’t say. It just made me panic. But it wasn’t real.”

He felt Mai’s eyes on him as she said, “Ty Lee, maybe we should leave them alone.”

Once the door shut, Katara said, “Do you feel better talking about it now?”

Zuko tightened his eyes further and blurted, “Mai told me I’m gay.” The words fell from his mouth, burning their way up his throat like his insides were being branded with the accusation.

Katara removed her hand and sat beside him. For a few seconds she didn’t say anything, and Zuko worried she was staring at him in disgust. Then she said, “How much do you know about the Southern Water Tribe?”

Zuko grimaced. He studied the history obsessively as it related to the Fire Nation invasions, but couldn’t detail much about it outside of that. “Not enough.”

“Me, too,” Katara replied. Zuko opened his eyes and she swallowed. “When we first went to the North, I thought I would find… Something. Recognition. I was supposed to find what my childhood should have been like. I didn’t realize until we got there how different it was. I was born into a war-torn tribe, but I remember how we acted. My parents were equals. Elders were respected no matter what gender they were. We had different coming of age rites, but gender wasn’t a hierarchy like it was in the North.”

Zuko didn’t know what to say. The Fire Nation had changed long before he was conceived, and he had spent too long away from his home to feel any real nostalgia for any period of time. 

Katara pressed on. “I think Sokka felt the same, too. I think he probably still feels the same way. I remember one of the older boys who would play with Sokka and I when we were little. He had two fathers who loved each other. It was normal in the South. Even after the invasion, there were two women who had a family. My father told me that boy, Siqiniq, died when they were ambushed by Fire Nation troops. He had a Northern boyfriend then who ran away from home because his parents threatened to kill him for his sexuality.” Zuko felt lightheaded. He couldn’t visualize the boyfriend, tried to picture a handsome young man only to draw blanks, but he could see a father throwing him out so clearly, could nearly hear Ozai’s voice. 

“Whatever the Fire Nation believes about gay men and women, they’re wrong. I grew up around them, have had meals with them. It’s perfectly normal. Okay?” Katara grabbed Zuko’s hand and smiled at him. Then she brushed tears away from Zuko’s face. When had he started crying? “You’re normal. Okay?”

Zuko fell into her, rested his head on her shoulder and sobbed silently. Katara wrapped her arms around him and let him.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CW: homophobic slurs

He had fallen asleep in Katara’s room, awkwardly crumpled up against her. She woke him up when the sun set and he left, embarrassed, and found Mai in his room.

“Talk to Azula when we get home,” she said before Zuko could say anything. He didn’t know what to say to her. He didn’t know how to take what Katara had told him, let alone had he approached how he could grapple with Mai’s accusation. Much less any truth she may have uncovered.

“You’re wrong,” he said, though it was more of a croak, his throat scratchy from crying.

“What?”

“About me. You’re wrong.” He glared at her. She met his eyes with a calm, steady stare. “Don’t tell Azula anything.”

“I wasn’t going to,” she replied. She sounded hurt by that.

They went to bed without another word. He woke up the next morning with a stomach ache. He would see everyone today at the meeting, including Sokka. And Katara. What if she told everyone? What if Toph noticed he was off and asked, forcing him into an awkward explanation?

He remained in his room during breakfast, too nervous to eat. Ty Lee thought differently and brought him food. “Mai told me,” she said, her eyes soft and her voice apologetic. “She asked me to talk to you, because--”

“She’s wrong!”

“--I’m gay,” Ty Lee finished, unfazed by Zuko’s outburst.

Zuko blinked. “What?”

“I’m gay.”

Years of memories flashed through his head at once. “But… You’ve had boyfriends. A lot of boyfriends.”

Ty Lee wrapped a strand of hair around her finger. “Not strictly gay. Just broadly. I don’t really have a preference. You just never knew that I’ve had girlfriends, too.” She flushed. “Actually… I have a girlfriend now! She’s one of the Kyoshi Warriors. That’s why I wanted Mai to visit; I wanted them to meet!”

Zuko realized his mouth was hanging open and closed it. “Oh.”

“Her name is Feng. You should meet her, too. Tonight, come drinking with us!” Ty Lee was grinning at him, had set down his breakfast on the table and was now sitting beside him. 

“I’m not--”

“Zuko!” she snapped, and she grabbed his wrist. “It doesn’t matter if Mai is right or not. You’re like a brother to me, and I want you to meet my girlfriend. Okay?”

“Okay.”

________

He couldn’t focus at the meeting. He tried to work out if he would be able to allow Fire Nation citizens and their family to retain some level of dual citizenship if they wanted, but he was sitting next to Sokka and was focused on what Mai would think. She was absurd. Of course he got along well with Sokka; he was the first guy his age he had ever befriended.

And he was smart, Zuko was reminded as Sokka cut in with what the Water Tribes had been doing for Northerners and Southerners seeking free travel. Why wouldn’t he appear interested in his words? It was easy to hang off of whatever Sokka was saying, even his stupid puns, which were so similar to Uncle’s light humor it was endearing. 

Then Katara would glance at him, a curious look on her face as Zuko was seated beside her brother. Was she worried, despite all her assurances, that Zuko would come onto her brother? And why would that bother her? Weren’t they friends? Was he unworthy of Sokka because of his past? Could he never truly attone for what he had done?

Not to mention, of course, that he wasn’t even gay. So she didn’t have anything to worry about.

“Right, Zuko?” Zuko’s head snapped to look at Sokka, who he hadn’t been listening to up until that point.

He felt his face warm up. “Sorry. Could you repeat that?”

Sokka grinned at him and Toph snickered. “Wow. Rude. I was asking if there were records of how Fire Nation citizens in colonies were given some level of dual citizenship.”

“Of course. I’ll send a messenger hawk for the information for tomorrow’s meeting.” The discussion continued without him. He needed to get back home.

________

“Hey, come grab dinner with me tonight,” Sokka said once the meeting had wrapped up (they were incredibly ahead of schedule, and could be done as soon as tomorrow, leaving everyone in a good mood). He slung his arm around Zuko’s shoulders and held him tight. 

“Actually, I have plans,” Zuko replied. “I’m going to catch up with Ty Lee.”

Sokka frowned. “Then what am I supposed to do?”

“Drinks after?” Zuko replied. 

“Drinks after,” Sokka replied, and Zuko noticed as he smiled that Sokka had looked disappointed that Zuko had plans. That had to make sense, though. He wasn’t as strained from Aang and Katara, and while he seemed to be on great terms with Suki, it was awkward to hang out with one’s ex (as Zuko was quickly learning).

Zuko met Ty Lee at a restaurant, one much more lowkey than the last they all met at. Zuko had dressed casually and tied his hair in a common way, not eager to be hounded by anyone who recognized the Fire Lord (for better or for worse).

Ty Lee was sitting alone at a table next to a pretty woman, who looked to be a little shorter than Ty Lee. She was stout with broad shoulders and chubby cheeks that were prominent when she smiled, which she was as she looked at Ty Lee with soft blue eyes. Her hair was cut short in a bob and curled to frame her face. Ty Lee noticed Zuko and waved. “Zuko! This is Feng!”

Feng flushed when she saw Zuko. “Fire Lord, it’s an honor,” she stuttered, nervously bowing her head.

Zuko bowed in return. “It’s an honor to meet you,” Zuko replied. “Please, call me Zuko.”

Ty Lee reached out to stroke Feng’s shoulder. “Relax. He’s a softie.”

“Sorry,” Feng said. “It’s easy to forget Ty Lee is Fire Nation nobility. It’s easier to forget she’s on speaking terms with the Fire Lord.”

“Don’t hold it against her,” Zuko replied. A small part of him couldn’t quite believe what he was watching. He had grown up seeing Ty Lee flirt with the palace boys, date many of the young men who fell head over heels for her, had seen how men bent to her will. But something about this felt natural. Ty Lee loved more than anyone he knew, and it was natural how she loved Feng.

Ty Lee’s natural giddiness eased any nerves from Zuko and Feng; as drinks came, Feng was able to chat about more than just Fire Nation niceties. “I always wanted to visit the Fire Nation; my mother was Fire Nation, but she fled when she was a girl after you guys got fascist.”

“Smart woman,” Zuko conceded, and she laughed.

“I agree. But she loved her home. She was always cooking the food, and she bought any clothes that came through the markets. I think she always wanted to go back. She’d probably love how much you’ve changed it.”

“You’re being too nice,” Zuko replied, flushing. “There’s more I could do.”

Ty Lee leaned against him and squeezed his arm. “Stop being modest! You’ve done good work.”

Feng nodded. “Ty Lee keeps saying she’ll take me one of these days.”

“By all means, you’ll be guests in my palace,” Zuko replied. 

Feng laughed. “No, I wouldn’t want things to be awkward with your sister there.”

“Awkward?” Zuko snorted. “Terrifying I could understand, but awkward?”

“Because Ty Lee is her ex,” Feng laughed, and only then did Zuko notice that Ty Lee had been shaking her head frantically.

“What?”

Feng shrunk away at how Zuko’s tone dropped, and a flash of guilt coursed through his stomach. He didn’t want her to fear him, didn’t want to be scary. But, “Azula was what?”

“Zuko-”

“Outside,” he said, and he grabbed Ty Lee’s arm and dragged her outside. “You dated my sister?” he hissed.

“She didn’t want to tell anyone,” Ty Lee replied, matching his quiet volume. She wrenched her arm from his grip and glared at him. “I’m sorry if you’re upset, but it’s not my secret to tell!”

“Clearly it was!”

“Not when it came to telling you,” Ty Lee said. “Can you blame Azula? You know the man your father is. What if you had used it against her?”

Zuko tried to mull this over, but he was too angry to properly accept it. “I never would have. Never.”

“I know that.” Ty Lee’s glare softened and Zuko hung his head, ashamed at his anger and for his ignorance. “It… It wasn’t the best. You could ask her about it, but I don’t know if she knows that we were dating. I don’t know if she ever accepted who she is. She only knew what she had to be, and a lesbian didn’t fit into that. Someone deserving of love didn’t fit into that.”

Zuko inhaled slowly through his nose, felt his lungs expand as the air entered, and then exhaled slowly through his mouth, his diaphragm pushing up as it expelled from him. His head, a little hazy from the drinks, at least felt calmer. “I’m sorry for flipping out.”

Ty Lee gave him a sympathetic smile. “I can’t exactly blame you.”

“I can’t stay out tonight,” he sighed, avoiding Ty Lee’s disappointed face. “I need to be alone. To take all this in. Please tell Feng it was lovely meeting her.” He turned away before she could respond. He pulled his hood back over his head, not wanting anyone to recognize the Fire Lord on his walk back to his room.

Azula always lies. He tried to remember if they had ever talked about Azula dating. Zuko and Mai were a favorite topic for Azula to tease, but Zuko had left Azula when she was eleven, young enough for her to still be grossed out with dating and for Zuko to not think his baby sister would ever kiss someone. When they had reunited, he hadn’t felt brave enough to question her romantic prospects.

It wasn’t completely out of the question. Ty Lee followed Azula around like a lost puppy when they were kids, despite the occasional cruelty. Little had changed when they were older. She wrapped herself around Azula. Though Azula never seemed too happy with it, the fact that Ty Lee was even allowed to get so close was momentous. How hadn’t he noticed?

“Hey!” Momentarily, Zuko drew in on himself to try to disappear until he recognized the voice. He turned and smiled at Sokka’s grinning face. “Glad I caught you. Wanna grab that drink?”

He had forgotten, but more than ever he wanted a drink. “Absolutely. Lead the way.”

Sokka grabbed Zuko’s hand and led them through the streets, beginning to crowd with locals out having fun. “There’s this Fire Nation bar, but they got a blended menu if you want a bite.”

“I eat Fire Nation food all the time.”

Sokka shrugged and squeezed Zuko’s hand, which distracted him as Sokka said, “Too bad. The North is slacking on good spicy food.”

The bar, Atsui Toko, was relatively crowded. “Didn’t expect there to be many party scenes.” 

“People are relaxing. It’s peace times, and this is one of the better off colonies,” Sokka replied, staring fondly at the dance floor, where a few teens and young adults were dancing to Earth Kingdom music, a quick and heavy drumbeat. “Plus, they don’t have the stuffy Northern attitude.”

“Definitely a bonus,” Zuko guessed, although he couldn’t imagine the wealthy elite he was surrounded by relaxing enough to dance so freely, all individual movements coming together, smiles on faces, switching between partners.

They grabbed a seat at the bar. Sokka waved down the bartender, a big, balding man with big hands that made the glasses look like doll toys. The man squinted at Zuko, eyes lingering on the scar. “Soldier get you as a kid?”

“In a way,” Zuko replied. 

“Hey, man, ease off,” Sokka deadpanned, leaning on his forearm which was pressed on the bar. “Hook me and my buddy up with two Dragon Breaths.” Sokka placed two coins on the surface, and the bartender took them with one last glance at Zuko’s scar. 

“So,” Sokka said, turning to face Zuko with a smile that was easily returned. “You do a lot of drinking back home?”

“Oh, sure. You know me. Real party animal.” Zuko laughed a little and Sokka quirked his head to the side, his smile widening. “I’ll have wine at some dinners, and that’s about where it begins and ends.”

“You live like an old man. A boring old man. Promise me right now that you’ll come visit in the North.” 

“I really have a lot to do.” 

“So do I! But I don’t care. We both owe ourselves some breaks. We can’t rebuild the whole world.” 

Zuko sighed, but thought of how awkward home would be now, with Mai acting differently towards him and the weight of Azula’s past with Ty Lee following him. “When?”

“Next month?” Sokka’s casual tone sounded strained, like he was forcing it. The gleam in his eyes also gave his excitement away. 

“Next month. I’ll arrange a ship.”

Sokka pounded his fist on the bar. “Nice!”

“Easy there, Water Tribe,” the bartender huffed, sliding two shots down their way. The drink itself was an alarming shade of orange and the rim was coated in a dark brownish-red spice. 

“Bottoms up?” Zuko raised his shot with Sokka, holding his gaze as he brought the rim to his mouth. The spice was peppery and his lips tingled and burned. The drink passed into his mouth and scorched his tongue. Like he was drinking fire.”

Sokka coughed as Zuko swallowed. “You okay there?” Zuko asked, wincing slightly. It burned the whole way down his throat, but years of training his bending had made him familiar to the feeling. 

“You have an unfair advantage,” Sokka spluttered, wiping his mouth on his arm. “Us nonbenders have to take it raw.”

“You ordered it,” Zuko laughed.

“I was trying to be tough,” Sokka replied. Zuko ordered them more drinks (regular this time) and they washed down the fiery taste as they talked.

“I feel like I’ve been the odd man out,” Sokka explained. “In the North a lot of people see me as subhuman. Doesn’t matter what I’ve done. All they see is a kid from the war torn South.”

“That’s bullshit,” Zuko said, more than a little tipsy by this point. “Screw next month. I’ll go home with you tonight and defend your honor up and down the palace. Bullshit.”

“Easy,” Sokka chuckled, patting Zuko’s arm. “They might still have a bigger problem with you. Killing the moon is gonna put the Fire Nation on their shit list for centuries.”

Zuko, who was leaning on the counter with his head propped up on his hand, shrugged. “Fair. Killing most of the dragons is gonna put the Fire Nation on the Fire Nation’s shit list for centuries.”

Sokka grabbed Zuko’s free hand with such ferocity that it jolted Zuko into alertness (limited by inebriation). “Zuko. Do you have a dragon.”

Zuko furtively looked around them. The dancers were gone, replaced by rowdy drinkers that drowned out conversations into a rumble of white noise. “Shhh, be quiet.”

“Is that a yes. Oh my god is that a yes?”

Zuko shushed him, waving his hand in front of Sokka’s face. “Listen. Listen, listen. It’s secret. I don’t want anyone knowing. They almost went extinct. But… Possibly.” Zuko had kept tentative contact with the Sun Warriors after ascending to the throne, and after years of building trust they had gifted him a dragon egg to try to reintroduce the animal to the Fire Nation. The baby dragon was no bigger than his arm, and at its vulnerable state he couldn’t trust to talk about it in public.

“Oh, I get it,” Sokka said, drawing out his words. Was he tipsy? How tipsy was Zuko? How many drinks had they had? “Could a dragon fly to the North?”

“Dragons are cold-blooded, Sokka. It would freeze.”

“Dragons breathe fire! How does that freeze?”

Zuko opened his mouth to respond and spent several seconds trying to come up with a viable response. He closed his mouth and hummed in thought. “I… I don’t know.”

“Didn’t you stay underwater just...Using your firebender to not die of instant hypothermia? Wouldn’t a firebending master do an even better job of not dying?”

Zuko brought his hands to his face and rubbed his eyes. “I’m drunk.”

“Me, too.” But Sokka stood with ease and let Zuko stumble against him to regain his own balance. “Oh. Wow, okay. You’re drunk.”

“I was drinking with Ty Lee and Feng.”

“Feng?”

“Ty Lee’s girlfriend.”

Sokka made a face of realization, then nodded and smiled. “Okay. Yeah. I’ve met her a few times. Sweet girl.”

Zuko nodded. Sokka led them outside and Zuko blurted out, “I didn’t know Ty Lee was gay.” Sokka looked down at him, quirking an eyebrow up. “Like, I just never knew. I’ve known her forever. And I didn’t know.”

“You’re kind of oblivious, man.”

“Hey!” he said, pushing Sokka. But he was already leaning against Sokka, so mostly he just fell into him, making Sokka drag him for a few steps, his arm wrapped tightly around Zuko’s shoulders and Zuko’s arm clinging onto Sokka’s waist. “I am a highly observant person!”

“Hey, you’re smart. I never said you’re not smart. But… Well, that’s rough buddy.”

“What the fuck else am I supposed to say? Like, your girlfriend turned into the moon? I? What’s the social rule on that one?”

“Yeah, yeah.”

“And, like, did I not know my sister is gay? Yeah, but it’s Azula. Nobody knows anything about her. 

“Oh. Did she tell you?”

“I haven’t-”Zuko couldn’t finish the statement, his throat tightening, almost to keep the words out. He leaned more against Sokka, resting his head on his shoulder, his face almost buried in his neck. Sokka smelled slightly of sweat mixed with… Was he wearing cologne? “But Mai wants me to tell her I’m gay or whatever-”

“You’re gay?” Sokka asked, but when he said it he sounded casual and calm, like it wasn’t a big statement. 

“No! Spirits, why does everyone think that? I had a girlfriend, I’m not gay!”

“Hey, dude, relax,” Sokka said, squeezing Zuko’s arm, but Zuko pulled away. What was he doing? Cuddled up to another man? His friend, no less, that Mai was suspicious of? He was proving the world right. Damning the world, he pushed hard against Sokka, and he stumbled away. 

“I’m not gay!”

“Why are you acting like it’s bad?” Sokka said, but a sharp edge had risen into his voice. “Do you have something against it?”

Zuko spluttered around what could have been a semi-coherent explanation, that he didn’t consciously but there was a subconscious fear instilled by his father. As though their eyes followed him in palace halls and through the streets, alert of how he looked at people, ready to bear down upon him if he strayed from what a man should be, especially a Fire Nation man. The irrationality, the fear, the self-hatred, how he remembered being twelve and shy around the handsome palace servant that-

“Because I’m not a faggot!” It was his father who seemed to scream that through him, and the words hurt as they left his mouth.

Sokka was glaring at him. “Fine. I’ll leave, since you don’t want to deal with faggots.”

Zuko gaped at Sokka, who walked determinedly away from him without looking back. He knew he should say something. Rather, he had to say something. But any apology was half formed and lodged in his throat underneath bile, like his family's hatred was alive in him, bursting to come out and ruin his friendships again and again.

Instead, he went to his room and arranged for a return home by the morning, arranging for Mai to stay and finalize any of the plans left.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay that's all for the first update dump idk when I'll be back. Leave a comment? :3 it keeps me going

**Author's Note:**

> Hey dudes Ik I have a lot of WIPs going on but .... I mean, we need more Zukka fics in the world. This fic is gonna be updated three times, each in three chapter dumps. If all goes according to plan as I write it, that is. Here's to 2021.


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